The first objective of the present invention is provide a readily available and inexpensive apparatus for effective and efficient means of application of heat therapeutics for the treatment of pain and inflammation of bodily structures of a human or an animal.
The second objective of the present invention is provide a safer, effective and efficient means of application of heat therapeutics for the treatment of pain and inflammation of bodily structures of a human or an animal.
The application of local thermotherapy by human is an ancient science. Thermal therapeutics produces desirable therapeutic effects on the local and distant structures such as the increase of extensibility of collagen tissues, decrease joint stiffness, pain relief, muscle spasm and stiffness relief, increase blood flow and enhance the removal of local waste metabolites and resolution of inflammatory infiltrates, edema and exudates. However, to data, thermotherapy is not only cumbersome to apply and not readily available but also can be hazardous in the application using the prior art which are in the market.
The use and application of heated paraffin which is an effective means of therapeutic heating of tissues suffer the above set backs so that a form of very inexpensive heat therapeutic modality is being withheld from most people such as people who suffer from all forms of arthropathy such as degenerative, rheumatoid, posttraumatic arthritis, etc., scleroderma and tissue and joint contracture who need and can benefit most.
There are several reasons for the above setbacks. First, the applicator of heated paraffin is cumbersome and is mostly set up and available in the health care providers' office and not readily available at homes of or in any settings where it is needed most and on a frequently and daily as-needed basis. Second, operation and maintenance of the paraffin bath are relatively expensive, need constant attention to keep the paraffin at molten state which consume electricity albeit small. Third, paraffin is messy and accidental spillage is common. Fourth, paraffin is flammable when exposed to a flame. Fifth, the application of molten paraffin on the body part require knowledge of application and use and the apparatus for said application is not available.
Molten paraffin is an excellent heat modality as paraffin has a low heat-carrying capacity and a poor thermal conductor as compare with water which has a high specific heat and thermal conductivity so that the application of molten paraffin is therapeutics while heated water at the same temperature can cause thermal injury to the tissues of the patient. Further discussion of paraffin heat can be had in the Therapeutic Heat and Cold, 4th ed., J. L. Lehmann (ed), Williams & Wilkins 1990. The molten paraffin should have a temperature range of 51.7.degree. C. to 54.4.degree. C. (F. H. Krusen: Physical Medicine. W. B. Saunders, Phila., 1942. G. K. Stillwell General principles of thermotherapy. In Therapeutic Heat and Cold. 2nd ed., S. Licht (ed), Waverly Press, Baltimore, 1965 pages 232-239).
The present invention solves the above setbacks and, for the first time, provides a compact, portable, easy-to-use-and-apply, safe and nonmessy means of application of paraffin as an effective heat modality for home and any settings for anyone including people with debilitating hands.